the emporer's prince
by ryomarufuji
Summary: Ryo and Fubuki share a moment among hundreds of moments at the edge of a building. Slight Ryo/Fubuki.


**A/N**: I was originally planning to put this in my Generation Zero fic, but just in case I plan to finish this some time in the future, I'll keep it here. I know that it's terribly short, but I only whipped this up in a short amount of time.

Please enjoy!

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><p>"Fubuk - "<p>

For the first time in years, the Kaiser cut himself off. The question wasn't important. Nothing was important, not while they were at the edge of life, the edge of death, the edge of the edge.

Or, perhaps, just the edge of a really tall building.

The Blizzard Prince stared up at his friend, the enigma that he would never tell anyone he could, in fact, penetrate. Even his sister barely knew, even the Kaiser's brother barely knew, no, only he could truly comprehend. He thought it would make him feel special, but it unexpectedly had a different effect. They'd known each other for six years, no, seven, he always forgets to count the year they spent together in that town, far, far away from Duel Academia. They were there now, perhaps on top of a bank. He could never remember. Which might seem sad, considering they'd come there, oh, so many times, if there was someone to inform him so. Of course, both parties were thinking it, but to even dare to speak it...

Not in this place. Not atop their castle.

"There are too many clouds out, aren't there?" The Blizzard Prince asked rhetorically, to which the Kaiser nodded, as he agreed that they had tainted the perfect blue sky with blinding white and gray. They'd been sitting there for two hours, unwilling still to get up and do something productive. Their words dripped with unimportant cynicism. And wasn't it profound, how strong their bond was, to sit in silence? Their legs hung, swinging over the city beneath them, bodies held back only by the thin railing. It was enough. It wasn't like they were going to jump or anything; just how stupid would that have been?

But they occasionally joked about how, one day, they finally would just get it over with. That was all they were. Jokes.

It wasn't like they retired from dueling. It wasn't like they gave it up. It wasn't like it stopped being a release for either of them. Sure, the Blizzard Prince could understand the Kaiser's feelings and emotions, but...it was only him. Just him. As it was, he used dueling as a mechanism to convey his feelings to others. But he didn't need to do that with his Prince. Now, though, they finally escaped the island. They always knew they would. They always talked about it, how they would one day leave together, subsequently in hopes of setting up both siblings with each other, which they would both inform you was definitely not the Kaiser's idea, and that he was only going along with it. Obviously.

Dueling was still fun. There was always that drive. But after finally understanding each other's dueling methods, every single one of them, their duels were now mostly played in their heads. The game was over by the second or third turn. Now, though, they at least didn't have to deal with terrible things happening to them if they'd lost. Every once in awhile, it's nice to get away from danger, even if you crave it. _It's good for you,_ Kaiser's psychiatrist had always told him. Of course, the woman was never the best advice giver.

Being atop his castle - no, _their_ castle, - casual wear didn't seem very appropriate. But wasn't it, though? Maybe. He couldn't really tell, himself. Not many had seen the Kaiser in casual clothing, though he'd never be able to tell anyone or let anyone know, he thought being caught in it was actually embarrassing. Excluding his childhood, his brother had seen him in it six times, Asuka, three, and the Blizzard Prince, thousands. Wasn't it fit? The two side-by-side "rulers" were supposed to be close, right? So, didn't this signify that?

Still, he was never fully comfortable. But the Blizzard Prince helped with that by dressing even more casual than usual. Not that it said much. And not that he would admit it, but it helped.

Words entered the Kaiser's mind. He picked them carefully, or as carefully as he could.

The Blizzard Prince Fubuki and the Kaiser Ryo. Royal Duelists. Both torn from their shattered thrones. And now, both left to pick up the pieces.

A pause, multiple pauses, and they could tell when there was one because one person would open their mouths to speak, and to actually speak, not to almost speak.

"...Hey, Fubuki."

Silence. The Blizzard Prince opened his eyes and lifted his head up. That was all that was needed for a response. Barely had there been a response, and for good reason, as barely had there been a conversation.

"Tell me that feeling you get when you want to spend the rest of your life with someone."


End file.
